LONDON PRODUCE MARKET.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15453, 4 December 1915, Page 5

LONDON PRODUCE MARKET.

DULL MEAT TRADE. fFKOiI OTTR OWN COIVRES POJTDENT.) LONDON, October 22. Tho market has been dull and featureless during the past month, writes tno Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, Ltd., and although supplies aro much below the normal they arc proving quite sufficient for the demand, and soino classes of meat aro found very difficult to disposo of. Quotations have shown a, tendency in favour of buyers, and prices much below official rates are frequently taken in order to clear the market.

Even tho trade in home-grown meat has suffered to some extent from the dullness of tho demand for mutton and lamb. At the time of writing. English wethers are lacking buyers at 8d to 9d per lb, and* Scotch wethers are quoted at Jd per lb more. Tho best homegrown lambs can be bought at BJd to Old per lb, and the plainer Scotch lli 11 lambs at 7Jd per lb. Chilled beef has occupied the attention of most buyers lately. On a .shorter supply an attempt was made to advance prices at tho beginning of last week, but ended in failure, as the offerings ultimately proved more than tho trado could Good ox hinds are now offered at. 7Ad per lb. and fores at 5Jd to oijd per lb, at which prices the meat is much cheaper relatively than any of tho frozen beef now available. Tho provincial markets are amply supplied with plain home-grown beef. Pork continues very scarce and dear. English small pigs arc firm at Is per lb, and frozen pork makes up to' 9a per lb. Frozen rabbits are making record prices, as much as 30s having been paid for largo New Zealands. FROZEN MUTTON. Arrivals sineo our last report consist of 369,264 carcases from New Zealano, 115,844 carcases from Australia, carcases from South America, jind 1584 carcases from North America. The importations now show an increase of 198.571 carcases over last year. Tho Government are now requisitioning tho whole supply of North Island wethers, and consequently >rw Zealand mutton is represented almost entirely by owes. A very few Cantorburv wethers arc offered, and make about 7id to 7}d per lb. Ewes are weaker in prico and are ncglccted m favour of Argentine mutton. Light owes makf< un to 51 <1 per lb, and heavy ewes about s;d per lb, but while English ewes can be bouirht at Old per lb the sale is slow. Plate'iuutton of excellent oualitv is fairlv plentiful and realising 6M to 6; per lb according to weight." while some very heavy caren sos are sold at 6Jd to 6\d per lb. Trugnav mutton is worth about Jd to jc] nor lb less than Argentine. Australian wethers are hr.rdlv to be fonnd, T>nt ewes are r-'entiful and sell from old to 5Ad per lb according to quality.

FROZEN LAMB. T.amb receipts hnvo been 432.714 carcases from New Zealand. 32.321 carcases from Australia, and 53.131 carcases from South America. The sale of lamb is von- slow and prices are maintained v.-ith diflicultv. Canterbnrvs arc quoted at c d to SM r>cr lb North at 7;d to R}d per lb. Scotch Hili lambs still interfere with the sale a good deal and even best homo lambs are verv little dearer than Canterbury:?. Australian lambs in limited quantities are offered at 6Jd to 7id per lb. FROZEN BEEF. Receipts include 33.-577 quarters from New Zealand, 11.717 quarters from

Australia, 137,193 quarters from South America, 88,969 quarters from North J America, and -1144 quarters from South Africa. Importations aro much in excess of last year. The trade still has to exist on second-rato quality, and although no official quotations can bo , given from prime beef rough cow beef . from Australia and New Zealand _ is being sold at about 6d per lb for hind 3 and sfd per lb for fores. Compared with the current value of good chilled beef, the frozen article is very dear and making its full value, but the difficulty is to movo any quantity. For the States .frozen beef, prices aro about 7id per lb for hindu and 6d per lb for forses, and Brazilian beef makes almost the same, money. ' I Supplies of rabbits comprise 41.077 ewt from Australia. 11,829cwt from New Zealand, and 578cwt from the Continent. Aggregate importations of 3&5,659cwt exceed tho receipts to tlic corresponding dato of last. year by ll,Bß4cwt. DAIRY PRODUCE. McsSrs W. Weddel and Co., in their weekly market report, dated October loth, state that the demand for butter, owing to tho abnormally high prices now ruling, has eased off during the last few day*. Tho quantity of really j best good's* is still in small compass, | and the demand remains steady. Danish—Tho official quotation is suspend- j ed this week owing to tho fact that CJor- j many has been buying heavily, and j paying 20s to-30s per cwt moro than ilritisii buyers. Siberian —The market | is congested on account of_ tho larjio I supplies of secondary .quality. Tho | proportion of best butter i.s extremely I small and in good demand, but second- ' ary grades are experiencing a slow sale. States—Theso butters aro _ in j good request at 148s to 154s c.i.f., j London or Liverpool, for finest cream- j cries, and about 4s to 6s per cwt less for secondary descriptions. Spot values range from ioOs to 165s for boxes and tubs according to quality. Irish—This market is easier, and finest centrifugal creameries are selling at 168s with occasionally 176s for salted, and at 168s up to 176s for unsalted. Production is decreasing, and will continue to do eo, as the season is now nearly over. French —The market continues firm for all grades of choicest quality, but secondary and inferior are moro or less neglected.

CHEESE. The market is firm with a rising tendency. Canadian—Arrivals 39,070cwt. Prices over the cables are 79s to So> c.i.f. London, and spot values range from 77s to 80s for white, and 78s to .80s for coloured. New Zealand—Arrivals 566cwt. Market on spot is specially clear. The next arrival, per Rotorua, due on October 21st, consists of 2680 crates. States—Tho demand continues good for all grades, and priccs are firm.